Rock-drill.



G. H. LOCHER.

ROCK DRILL.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 0. 1,089,930. Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

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,ff/mg; N WW s@ (im CHARLES H. LOCHER, 0F GLASGOW, VIRGINIA.

ROCK-DRILL.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Application filed December 9, 1910. Serial No. 596,414.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. Leer-inn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glasgow, in the county of Rockbridge and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rock-Drills, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in drills and more especially to t-hat class of drills known as impact rock drills.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a pumping drill comprising a drill rod provided with a longitudinal conduit in a single plane and associated parts, const ituting a pump for forcing water and the drill cuttings or sludge, out of the hole drilled; said pumping means operating automatically by and incidentally to the axial reciprocation of the drill rod.

Other and further objects of my invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art 'from a consideration of the specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a broken off elevation of the lower end of the drill rod, showing the bit; Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical central section of the portion carrying the Valve mechanism taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. It is an isometric perspective view of a circular insert valve cage, carrying the valve port; Fig. 5 is a similar view of a modlied form of insert; Fig. 6 is a view of the drill as it appears in the stone, into which the hole is drilled, and t-he means of delivering the water, etc., pumped from the hole, radially beyond the extent of the hole; and Fig. 7 is a sectional View of a modification of the invention, showing that it is not essential to extend the jacket entirely around the drill steel and that a single groove made into the steel body is within the conte1nplation of the claims.

The drill steel of the preferred specific embodiment shown, indicated by 10, is cruciform in cross section, provided with four grooves or channels, 11, which extend axially substantially the full length of the steel. The grooves or channels form closed con duits when spanned by a conlining part, as when a tubular jacket, 12, is drawn over the steel. The impact of the drill is very severe, and I have found it to be very dillicult to retain the jacket, 12, in place on the steel 10. I therefore ser-rate or knurl the circumferential edge of the steel longitudinally, as at 13, by making a series of tine tuberetaining teeth in the surface of the steel and then 1 place the steel rod within the tube, the tube being sutliciently large to permit the ready insertion of the rod. The tube may be heated before the insertion of the rod, to expand its diameter, which on cooling decreases 1n diameter, thus being shrunk on the rod so as to make intimate contact with the serrated surfaces of the rod. Other means such as swaging may be employed for reducing the diameter of the tube after the rod has been inserted therein.

YVhen the jacket is in place on the steel, it will bc evident that there is thus provided four circuinferentially closed conduits extemling along the drill rod a distance equal to the length of the jacket and open at their ends. Fig. "t, however, shows that a single groove may be provided and that the conlining member need not necessarily surround the steel rod. lhcrefore, I do not desire to be understood as limiting my invention to the use of a plurality of such conduits, as a single axial perforation, or a single groove impressed in the side of the steel in connection with a jacket, providing thereby a singlc closed conduit, is equally within the contemptation of my invention, or a conduit c j nstructed in any suitable manner along the drill rod in colnbination with other features thereof.

A bit, 14:, is preferably of the same gen eral cross section as the cross-shaped drill steel being somewhat larger in crossseetion so as to drill a hole of su'tlicient size to clear the largest part of the drill rod structure. The bit is preferably made as an integral part of the drill rod, its enlargement in diameter being accomplished by upsetting the drill rod steel, near the working end of the rod and then fashioning the bit by forging it to the proper forni.

In course of time, the bit will wear away, when it will be necessary to cut away and remove a part of the lower end of the jacket and upset the steel again to form a new bit. For convenience, to efficiently meet such contingency, 'i provide a removable and insertible valve cage and seat, which is indicated by 15, the preferred form being shown in Fig. 4t, wherein the part 1G is disk form, slightly rounded exteriorly to correspond with the circumferential curve of the tube or jacket, 12, as shown in Fig. 2, wherein four such structures are disclosed. An angular projection, 20, lits snugly in the groove 11 which in cross section has a similar angular shape and prevents leak and rotation of the cage. This projection carries a valve port 18 for a round steel ball valve, 19. The ball 19 moves up and down as the drill is reciprocated, alternately opening and closing the valve port, thus enabling the drill to exercise the functions of the pump to positively eject the water and matter held in mechanical suspension from the drilled hole. rl`he active operation of the drill rod keeps the water in the bottom of the hole in violent agitation and the particles of rock, as they become disengaged by the operation of the drill, are floated as a result of the violent agitation of the water and pass out through the valve ports. `When it becomes necessary to insert a valve cage in the jacket, 12, a hole is drilled through the jacket, at a point where the valve is to be located, and the valve cage with the ball 19 on its seat 1S is inserted. The angular portion 2O carrying the valve port, 18, fits snugly in the groove contained between the arms of.. the cross-shaped steel, and provides practically a water tight joint therewith. The projection 21 extends radially over the ball valve 19, and limits the vertical movement thereof.

lf the structure shown in Fig. 5, involving parts 16, 18, 20, and 21 corresponding respectively with parts 15, 18, 20, and 21 of the structure shown in Fig. A, is to be used in lieu of that just described, an oblong opening should be cut in the acket corresponding in shape to the part 16, or it may be placed in the groove provided in the rod, Fig. 7. The round cage structure, Fig. 4t, is much more conveniently and cheaply applied to the cruciform rod requiring only the drilling of a round hole through the jacket 12. To retain the valve cages in place, l provide a sleeve, 22, which is heated and driven over the end of the rod or jacket 12, and when in place it is swaged so as to reduce its diameter and make perfect and immovable contact with the exterior surface of the jacket. To remove it, it may be heated, peened, and driven o, orV it may be cut off vby separating it longitudinally and a new sleeve used in its stead when the valves and cages are replaced. Also in renewal of the bit, the tube may be similarly treated to expand it so as to change its position on the rod to bring the valve-carrying perforation the desired distance above the newly formed bit, or portions of the shell may be cut away to leave the rod bare for reformation into a new bit, a new perforation being cut into the shell at the desired height above the newly formed bit. The jamcket extends up around the drill rod to a height above the surface level of the rock operated upon and the upper end of the conduits are left open and unobstructed. For receiving the material pumped upward through the channels, a pan 24 is secured in position to the rod structure below the top openings of the conduits as by set-screw 25, said pan being provided with a spout 26, radially beyond the area of the drilled hole.

ln the elevation, Fig. 6, A indicates the drilled hole and B a body of water therein, supplied by the water pipe C. It will be observed that the drill rod reciprocates vertically, carrying with it the part required to complete the conduit. The down stroke of the drill causes the valves 19 to rise, admitting water and particles of stone, etc., contained therein into conduits 11, the valves closing as soon as the drill rod begins the tip-stroke, so'that by the pumping action thus effected, water and material is caused to traverse the vertical conduits and flow out into the pan 24 from which it is delivered by the spout 26. ln this way, the water level may be maintained practically constant at what-ever is the most effective level desired, by proportioning the inflow to the pumping action. The particles of material detached by the impact of the drill are suspended in the water by the constant agitation produced by the action of the drill, and a clear clean face for the drill to strike at all times is thus provided.

While l have herein described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that many changes may be made therein, within the scope of the claims, without dearting from the spirit thereof.

Where l have defined the conduit in the claims as extending in a substantially straight line I desire to be understood as meaning a conduit wherein there are no abrupt jogs or turns.

`What l claim is:

1. A drill rod and a coacting part secured to said drill rod, said rod and coacting part having relative shapes to form therebetween a conduit parallel with the'aXis of the rod and of uniform cross section throughout its length, including its lower opening, and a separable valve structure including a perforated portion of similar cross section to fit in said conduit.

2. A drill rod provided with a bit and a substantially straight, longitudinally extending, conduit, having an alining open end immediately above the bit, in combination with a valve structure, insertible through the wall of said conduit, said wall being perforated to receive said valve structure.

3. A drill rod provided with a longitudinal channel in its side, in combination .with

a jacket attached `to said rod and inclosing j said channel provided with a perforation, a

valve cage carrying a port insertible through I said perforation, and means for retaining said valve cage in place.

4. A drill provided with a longitudinal channel in its side in combination with a jacket attached to said rod and inelosing said channel provided with a perforation, a valve cage carrying a port insertible through said perforation, and a sleeve on said rod to retain the valve cage.

5. The Combination with a drill rod having a longitudinal groove, of a part spanning said groove and secured to the rod to provide a eireumferentially closed conduit, said rod, groove-spanning part, and. conduit being uniform in cross section throughout their length, and a separable valve cage carrying a gravity-operable valve, and means for ixedly securing said valve cage in said conduit.

6. The combination with a drill rod having a longitudinal groove, of a part spanning said groove and secured to the rod to provide a` eireumferentially closed Conduit, a valve cage carrying a valve insertible through the wall of said conduit, and a sleeve secured to said structure inelosing said cage to retain it in place.

7. A drill structure comprising a rod and a shell, said parts eonjointly forming a conduit extending the length of the shell, the

drill beyond the shell being formed into a bit, extending laterally beyond the shell, a valve device for the conduit comprising a perforated member having a cross section corresponding to that of the conduit, a eireular member, and a gravity valve, said shell being drilled to provide a hole to receive said circular part, and a member surrounding said shell to retain said circular part in the hole in the shell.

8. The combination with a drill rod adapted to have its lower end fashioned to form an integral bit, a shell surrounding the rod above the bit and forming therewith a conduit, and a valve cage and valve xedly engaged by the rod and shell at a suitable point in said conduit.

9. The Combination of a drill rod adapted to have its lower end fashioned to form an integral bit, a shell surrounding the rod above the bit, said bit and shell shaped with respect to each other to form a conduit, and a valve cage, said shell being perforated to admit said valve.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

